Chasing Cars
by Sweetandnasty27
Summary: This is the story of Dean and Castiel, who knew each other their whole lives, from the first steps to the awkward pubescent stages and until death did them apart. This is the story of how both Dean and Castiel grew through friendship, love, and loss.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural and am not making money by writing this story

Disclaimer 2: The title is from the song, Chasing Cars and I am not making money by using it as the title of my fanfic.

Chapter One

_December 1998_

They met on a cold winter night in a cabin that was a bit old and rusty; those conditions didn't stop the owners from having a party though. The holiday spirit was evident from the bright decorations to the genuine smiles plastered on many faces in the cabin.

They, however could not sense the holiday spirit. Furthermore, they didn't know that they were meeting such significant people. Heck, they didn't know who they were themselves; just fetuses waiting to get out and finally see the world through their own eyes.

But their parents knew. Knew that their sons would be kind, and smart and even funny. They would be proud of them _everyday_ of their life, no matter what happened._  
_

"Hello, it was nice of you to invite us." Naomi Milton smiled and reached out her hand expectantly.

Mary Winchester shook her hand and said, "Thank you for inviting us over. Where's little Annie?"

"She wasn't feeling well so we had a babysitter come over."

"I heard that some nasty bug's going around. I hope she gets better." Mary smiled genuinely.

Then she suddenly said, "How far along are you?"

On instinct, Naomi looked down at her plump stomach and said, "Almost nine months."

"So you're due soon."

"Yes." Naomi said giving a small smile.

"Me too." said Mary.

"Yes, our little tough Dean can't wait to get out." A tall man with the most dazzling eyes had appeared and wrapped his arms around Mary's waist.

Mary laughed and took her husband's hands into hers.

"Your baby's name is going to be Dean?" Naomi asked curiously.

"Yes, after Mary's mother, Deanna. She had a heart attack…. it was a tragic accident." John's eyes turned soft.

"Oh." Naomi let her eyes wander around the room when she spotted _him. _He seemed to be having the time of _his _life, telling jokes and being at the center of attention.

Inias Milton seemed to notice his wife's gaze because within seconds, he appeared mere inches away from her.

He had a calculating expression on; planning on how to conquer and win over his next victims. They of course weren't aware of it.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mrs.….?" He said and placed a kiss upon Mary's hand. Naomi rolled her eyes; it was astounding to her how her husband still didn't know the names of their neighbors. It was all _work, work, work_ for him.

"Winchester." Mary supplied.

"You have a beautiful vacation home."

"Thank you, Mr. Milton." Mary said.

"Call me Inias." He smiled at her.

"Sure." Mary tried to smile but her body language gave off a sense of hostility.

John cleared his throat.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Winchester." Inias said and held out his hand.

John shook his hand all the while keeping eye contact. He could feel that there was something off with Inias; he just couldn't put his finger on it.

"So what's your baby's name going to be?" Mary asked.

"We're not sure yet." Naomi answered and at the same time, Inias, said, "Castiel."

"Yes, I suppose _Castiel _will fit just fine." Naomi quickly agreed but her smile had faltered.

"Gotta keep up the family tradition." Inias said and put his arm around Naomi's neck and if anybody noticed that his grip was a bit too tight, nobody commented.

* * *

Castiel was born several days after Dean. His big blue eyes were always brighter than the sky. They gave Naomi the warmest feeling in her heart.

The Winchesters and the Miltons were neighbors so whenever Naomi had some free time, she came over with Castiel.

Dean was a very loud baby, always wailing and complaining. But whenever Castiel came over and was placed next to Dean in the nursery, he grabbed Castiel's thumb with his own and seemed to calm down.

He never woke up crying when Cas was sleeping next to him.

Year later, his little brother would tease him about how he could never shut his mouth even from the start. But he would just roll his eyes and lightly punch Sam in the arm.

The only thing he clearly remembered from those early moments was the safety and contentment he had never felt anywhere else.

* * *

A/N: Please review. Thank You,

sweetandnasty27


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer 1: I do not own Supernatural and am not making money by writing this story

Disclaimer 2: The title is from the song, Chasing Cars and I am not making money by using it as the title of my fanfic.

Chapter two

_Spring 1999_

As time went on, Naomi kept bringing Castiel more often. She would leave him with Dean and Mary for quite some time.

Both boys were always happy to see each other. They loved to play with each other; it didn't matter what game it was as long as they were together. When the time came for Castiel to leave, neither wanted to part. Their protests would sometimes lead both mothers to exasperation.

Before they knew it, winter had faded and spring had taken over, its bright colors brought warmth and joy to many people, including the Winchesters.

One day when Mary Winchester was out on a walk with her baby, she had an epiphany. She kept catching Dean smile whenever he stared up at the clear sky.

"Spring's your favorite, then?" Mary had leaned down closer to Dean and kissed his forehead.

Dean gave a giggle. Mary's heart almost exploded right there. Even though she had heard that sound many times before and was _supposed_ to be used to it, she knew that that would never occur. The joyful sounds her baby made would never stop making her happy.

Later when Mary was chopping some vegetables, she realized that the bright blue sky was a reminder of Castiel and therefore, was probably the reason for Dean's happiness. She smiled to herself as she thought it over and then got back to finishing the dinner.

* * *

_Fall 2002_

When the time came for Dean to start pre-school, Mary had to deal with a big fuss.

"If Cas isn't going, I'm not going too!" Dean pouted.

"Honey, it's up to the Miltons to decide when Cas goes to pre-school. I can't make him go if they don't think he should." Mary tried to explain.

"I don't care, I don't care, I don't care!" Dean yelled and walked around in circles. Mary sighed and decided to call Naomi.

It turned out that Castiel was going to start his first day as well and was putting up the same fight. After conversing for a while, both mothers came up with a plan. Naomi asked Castiel to get on the phone and Mary then handed the phone over to Dean. Once he talked to Castiel, Dean relaxed and let Mary put his coat on.

Later that day, when the Winchesters were eating dinner, Mary noticed that Dean was frowning. Actually, he seemed gloomy ever since he got back from school. At first, she put it off as tiredness but then realized it was probably something else.

"What's wrong, Dean?" She asked while passing John the butter.

"Nothing." Dean shook his head and took a bite out of his chicken.

"How was your first day of school, champ?" John said while chewing.

"John, that's gross, can you please not talk while eating?" Mary asked but gave a small smile indicating that she wasn't as disgusted as she was concerned.

"Yeah, daddy, you could choke!" It seemed that Dean had woken up from his daydream.

"'orry, guys." John swallowed and then took a sip of his drink. He glanced over to his son and noticed that Dean still had a frown on his face. He exchanged a look with his wife.

"How was your first day of school, sweetie?" Mary repeated her husband's question.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Did you have fun with Cas in school?" Mary asked hopefully.

Dean tore his face from his plate and when he looked up, Mary noticed that there tears had welled up in his eyes.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Mary asked gently.

"He wasn't- wasn't in my class." Dean's lip trembled.

"You guys were put in different classes? But you can still see each other during recess, can't you?" John asked, hoping to lighten the mood.

At that, Dean started to cry and Mary came up and hugged him. When he calmed down, he finally told them the whole story. It turned out that some boys had called Dean and Cas, "gay babies" because they were very upset when they were forced to part from each other.

And when Dean finished his story, he widened his eyes and asked his parents what gay meant.

Mary said, "It's when a woman falls in love with a woman or when a man falls in love with a man."

"So I'm gay." Dean said with a small smile.

Mary and John exchanged glances.

"Why do you say that?" Mary asked curiously.

"Well because I love Cas very much and I'll marry him one day." Dean said proudly.

Mary laughed.

"I will, mommy!" Dean had a determined look.

"Okay, honey. Just remember, we'll love you no matter who you decide to marry." She said and looked at John.

"Yes, we will." John nodded in confirmation.

* * *

_Winter 2003_

Dean was four years old when he finds out that he was going to be a big brother. After a few curious questions, his parents decided to sit down and explain to him why his mommy's belly was getting big. When they finished talking, they smiled at Dean expectantly.

Dean nodded and said he understood and didn't let on that he was quite upset. He didn't want a little brother; what if his parents didn't love him anymore? He thought that his brother would take them away from him. So when nighttime came, Dean decided to do the first thing that came to mind. He packed a bag, snuck out of his house, and headed over to house.

It wasn't very late so he hoped that the Miltons weren't sleeping. He sighed in relief when he saw the lights were still on and rang the doorbell. Anna, Cas's older sister, had opened the door.

"Hey dork. What do you want?" She had an annoyed expression on her face. Dean wondered if all girls were like that or if that was yet another phase Anna was going through.

"Move out of the way, meanie." He tried to move past her but she didn't let him; for an eight-year old girl, she was quite strong.

"What do you want?" She asked curiously while twirling a strand of her hair.

"Where's Cas?" He said impatiently.

"Taking a bath." She said and noticing the sour look Dean was sporting, she softened her eyes and added, "Why? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to see Cas."

It seemed that Anna suddenly had a change of heart because then she said, "Okay, fine, you can come in."

After ten minutes of waiting, Castiel appeared in his pajamas and bathrobe. When he noticed Dean sitting on the couch in his living room, his eyes shone brightly.

He sat down next to Dean on the couch and said, "Why are you here, Dean?"

Dean didn't say anything. Instead he grabbed Castiel and pulled him into a hug. Castiel, not knowing how to react, hugged him back. He didn't really question Dean's urgency, he was used to Dean's abrupt hugs.

"Castiel, the Winchesters called. They said that they can't find-" Naomi trailed when she entered the living room and upon noticing Dean, she said, "Dean."

"Your parents are very worried, young man!" She said.

Dean refused to meet her eyes and looked at the wall instead. Castiel noticing his friend's mood, said, "Can Dean stay for supper, please?" He gave her the puppy-eyes.

"Please." Dean whined a bit.

Naomi looked between them and said, "Oh alright." She called Mary and John and asked them if it was alright that their was son would stay over for supper. They agreed as long as he would be back within a few hours. After hanging up the phone, Naomi went to the kitchen to prepare supper.

"Where's your dad?" Dean asked.

"I don't know." Castiel said quietly and looped a finger through a small hole on his pajama pant.

"Probably at work. Mom says he _really_ likes his job." Anna had plopped herself on the couch and turned on the T.V.

While Anna flipped through the channels, Castiel turned back to Dean and decided to continue their conversation.

"Why are you here, Deanie?" Castiel said.

"Don't call me that."

"Why not?" Castiel asked incredulously.

"It makes him sound like a baby, that's why." Anna said not taking her eyes off the screen.

"Shut up, Anna." They both said simultaneously. Anna smirked and said, "Aww, you're adorable." She reached over the couch and tried to pinch Castiel's cheeks but he got away just in time. He scowled and narrowed his eyes but she just laughed and turned her attention back to the T.V.

Dean knew that Castiel would never give up so he decided to tell him.

"My parent said that I'm going to have a brother." Dean made sure to say every word with disdain.

"Isn't that a good thing? We'll have another friend." Castiel seemed to ignore Dean's disdain or maybe he didn't even notice it; Dean wasn't sure.

"No, no it isn't!" Dean said, fury evident in his voice.

"Why?"

"What if my parents decide to leave me for him?" Dean said quietly.

"That wouldn't happen."

"How do you know that?"

"I know that your parents love you very much and they wouldn't want to leave you." Castiel said and then added, "And you'll be a great brother, Dean."

"Really?"Dean asked questioningly.

"Yep, the best brother!" Castiel said and smiled cheerfully.

"And you'll be the one in charge so you'll be able to torture them." She smiled slyly at Castiel.

After a few minutes of conversation, Dean decided that having a brother wouldn't be so bad. He was actually getting excited when Naomi came in and called them to eat. Anna shut the T.V. off and the three of them raced to the kitchen.

Once he had finished eating, Naomi called Dean's parents and they came to pick him up. His parents sighed in relief when they came to pick him up. They said good-bye to Naomi and her children and then went back home.

"You had us worried, Dean." John said carrying Dean.

"I'm sorry." His eyes were drooping and hugged John tightly.

"Promise me that you won't do that again." Mary said sternly.

"Promise.." His voice was drifting, which was sign of tiredness. Within minutes, they arrived at their home and Dean was soon put to sleep.

* * *

_May 2003_

Sam was born on May 2nd, 2003. Two days before the event, Mary was rushed to the hospital. Dean wasn't permitted to go with them so he had to stay with the Miltons. He was pretty sad to be separated from his family from quite a long time. He supposed that spending the time with Castiel was an upside, though.

At exactly seven p.m., John called and told Naomi that Dean now had a little brother. Dean being his usual sneaky self, was actually listening in on the phone conversation and had momentarily forgotten that no one knew he was on the phone and said, "What's his name, daddy?"

John didn't comment on Dean's spying. He just laughed and said, "Sam."

"Cool, I want to meet him." Castiel who was walking out of the bathroom had overhead the conversation and yelled in the phone, "Me too, me too!"

John laughed and said, "Alright, you can all meet him." After getting the directions and making sure that everyone was properly dressed, Naomi drove them to the hospital.

When they finally got the directions to Mary's room, Dean couldn't contain his excitement. Neither could Castiel, though his reasons were a bit different. Yes, he was excited to see the baby but he was also excited about the fact that Anna wasn't there and that he would be able rub it in her face that he'd gotten to see Sam before she did.

Upon entering the room, Dean saw that his mom was asleep. His father, however, wasn't. John was sitting in the chair and holding something very little wrapped in several blankets. Dean was pretty sure that it was Sam.

John looked up when he heard noises and upon seeing Dean, his eyes softened his eyes and said, "Come meet your brother, Dean."

Dean walked hesitantly toward John and when he stood right next to his dad, Sam's eyes flew open and his little fingers flailed, as if searching for something, or rather someone. Dean linked his fingers with Sam's and said, "He's so small."

"Don't worry, he'll be big in no time." John laughed. Then his face grew serious and he said, "You're a big brother now, Dean. You'll have to always be there for him."

"Can I hold him?" Dean asked.

"Sure, bud. Just be careful." Dean sat down and John carefully handed Sam to him.

At that moment, Mary woke up and smiled upon seeing her family. When she was fully alert, John went outside to see Naomi and Castiel, who weren't allowed to come in seeing as they were not family. John noticed that Castiel seemed to be very upset about this so he decided to try to pull a few strings.

While that was going on, Dean was still holding Sam. He looked down at Sam's face and said, "So you're my little brother, Sammy." Sam's stare intensified.

"Don't worry, I'll always be there for you." Dean said and smiled at Sam.

After a few seconds, Castiel emerged in the room and upon seeing the baby in Dean's arms, he said, "He's so small."

"_Castiel_." Naomi said warningly.

"Don't worry, Dean said the same thing." John laughed while Castiel went to seat down next to Dean. He made funny faces, expecting a response but was disappointed to see that Sam wasn't responding as he wanted him to.

After taking a million pictures and having some lunch, Naomi left with Dean and Castiel. John promised that they would come back that night. Dean didn't want to leave but he knew he had to. He knew that his parents would eventually come home and he couldn't wait for that because it meant that Sam would be coming home with them.

* * *

_November 2nd, 2003_

A few days after Sam turned six months old, a fire broke out. John handed Sam to Dean and told him to run outside and to never look back. Dean tried to protest, wanted to go back and save his mom but John hushed him and went back into the house by himself.

* * *

Before she took her last breath, one thing occurred to her: she would never hear her baby's beautiful laugh again. Sam's laugh had always made her happy but it didn't quite have the same effect as Dean's did, once upon a time. She knew that she should have felt guilty but it wasn't like she loved either of her sons more than the other.

There was just always a feeling in the pit of her stomach that made her feel a bit more protective and nourishing towards Dean than she probably should have been. She couldn't place what it was that made her feel that way.

* * *

During the funeral, John didn't say anything but Dean could tell that his father was hurting inside. He knew that he couldn't do anything to make it better though. So he just held Sam tighter and kissed his forehead and promised that he would always be there for him, no matter what happened.

* * *

A/N:

So what do you think? Please review.

Thank You,

sweetandnast27

P.S. I changed Sam's date of birth ( the year) on purpose.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer 1: I do not own Supernatural and am not making money by writing this story

Disclaimer 2: The title is from the song, Chasing Cars and I am not making money by using it as the title of my fanfic.

Chapter three

_Fall 2005_

After Mary's death, Dean noticed that his father had changed a lot. John was more distant and almost never smiled. Dean was worried that his father's sadness had something to do with him.

He had noticed that whenever Sam was near, John smiled a lot more often than he did around Dean. Naturally, as a curious child, Dean wanted to know why his father tried to avoid him whenever it was possible. So one day when John was watching T.V. and Sam was sleeping in his room, Dean decided to confront his dad.

"Daddy, can I ask you something?" Dean said hesitantly.

"What?" John asked in an irritated voice as he placed the bottle of liquor he had been drinking from on the coffee table.

"You don't smile anymore, daddy." Dean pointed out.

"Nonsense, I smile all the time," John scrunched up his nose and bared his teeth. "See I'm smiling now." That wasn't a real smile; actually, Dean wasn't even sure what that was. Dean had seen his father happy when Mary was alive and knew what a real smile on his dad's face looked like. He decided to try a different approach.

"Ever since mommy died-" Suddenly, John got up from the couch, knocking over the bottle, which in turn shattered into a million different pieces. Dean was beginning to think that his heart would look like that after this confrontation.

"Don't you _ever _mention her." John had balled his hands into fists and his eyes held a wrath that Dean had never seen before.

"I-" Dean didn't have time to say anything because his father interrupted him again and yelled, "It's your fault! Your godammn fault."

"I-m sor-"

"You just had to have your stupid macaroni and cheese, didn't you? Couldn't deal with what she made? Well guess what, now she's dead and no one's here to make you your favorite food." John kept shouting.

"I'm sorry, daddy." Dean said quietly and tried to keep the tears at bay. _ Stop crying, Dean. Big boys don't cry._

"I can't look at you right now. You_ even_ look like her." John kept yelling and suddenly, Sam started to cry. John left to check on Sam, leaving Dean alone in the room.

"I'm so sorry." He whispered, not sure to whom he was speaking.

Then he decided to do what he hadn't done in two years: run away to the Miltons. Seeing Castiel would help him. He knew it would. He was down the block before John even had the chance to notice he was gone.

When he rung the doorbell, he expected Castiel or Anna to answer. However, as the door opened, he was met with Naomi's equally shocked face.

"Dean, does your father know you're here?" Naomi asked crossing her arms.

Dean shook his head, looking down at the ground.

"I'll go call him." Naomi was about to leave to get the phone when Dean tugged on her shirtsleeve.

"Yes?" She turned back and quirked an eyebrow. Dean didn't know much about make-up but he had know Mrs. Milton long enough to notice that her face seemed to be painted in more colors than it usual was. And when he leaned closer, he thought that he could see the outlines of a bruise around her right eye but he decided to put it off. He had _more important_ matters to discuss.

"Please don't call my dad." Dean said desperately.

"I-" Naomi looked at Dean's big hopeful eyes and said, "Oh alright." She let him in and he ran up the stairs to Castiel's room.

He started rapidly knocking on the door when Castiel yelled, "I told you to stop that, Anna. I'm going to tell mom."

"I'm not Anna." Dean yelled back. Within seconds, the door opened and Castiel let Dean come into his room.

Castiel sat on the bed and Dean sat next to him. Castiel tilted his head to the side when he noticed Dean's frown and said, "What's wrong?"

Dean started to cry so Castiel decided to just wrap his arms around Dean and let him cry. When he was done crying, Dean began explaining.

"It's not your fault." Castiel said once Dean finished with his explanation.

"But my dad, he said-" Dean's lip trembled as he spoke.

"_Dean_." For a six-year old, Castiel sure did have a strong gaze. Dean would've been a bit scared had he not known him all his life.

Dean looked up at Castiel questioningly. "Your father is just upset. Give him time."

"It's been two years already!" Dean whisper-yelled.

"Dean, your dad loved your mom a lot. How would you like it if someone you wanted to be with forever suddenly died?" Castiel said.

Dean looked at Castiel and suddenly realized what his dad must've been going through. "I wouldn't want to live knowing that they wouldn't."

"Your dad is probably feeling it worse. He did know your mom from a very young age." Castiel pointed out.

Dean had known Castiel from a young age too and he couldn't imagine what it would be like to lose him. He hoped that day would never come.

"I just hope he gets better." He looked at Castiel and added. "I mean, Sam is going to need his dad around too."

"I know." Castiel murmured softly.

After a few minutes of silence, Dean said, "So where's your dad?"

"I don't know. He hasn't been home in a few days. He had a fight with mom and then left." Castiel rushed his words.

"Does your mom's face have anything to do with it?"

"What about my mom's face?" Castiel was growing defensive. In the years that Dean had known him, Dean knew that he should've just stopped right there. But he couldn't and he wouldn't; he wanted answers.

"Where'd she get that bruise?" Dean asked curiously.

"I don't know." Castiel blurted out rather quickly and then said, "Why don't you ask her, if you're so curious."

"You're my friend, not her." Dean said matter-of-factly.

"It's nothing." Castiel insisted.

"Cas-" Dean started off.

"I don't want to talk about it." He hunched his shoulders and refused to look Dean in the eye.

"Fine." Dean sat and crossed his arms.

"Fine." Castiel repeated.

They sat on opposite sides of the bed, frowning. Suddenly, Castiel giggled and Dean followed shortly. Soon, they couldn't stop laughing. They were rolling on the bed with laughter, holding their stomachs.

After a few minutes, Castiel calmed down and wiped at the tears that had formed from the laughter. "I'm sorry, Dean. I just can't tell you now."

"It's alright, Cas. You don't have to tell me now. You can tell me when you're ready." Dean moved closer to his friend and took him into his arms.

That was the way Naomi found them: in each other's arms. Castiel wasn't embarrassed. He knew that he would always want Dean around. Dean, however, scrambled to the other side of the bed as soon as he had noticed Naomi.

"Your father called and I told him that you were here." Naomi said simply.

"Why?" Dean cried.

"Your father was very worried." She exclaimed.

"So _you_ told him I was here." Dean accused her.

"Of course, I told him. I wasn't going to put up with your shenanigans."

"When's he coming?" Dean asked gloomily.

"In a few minutes. I suggest you go downstairs and get ready." And with that, Naomi left the room.

"Your mom's a bit scary when she's mad." Dean said.

"A bit?" Cas asked tilting his head. Dean laughed.

They went downstairs and Dean put on his coat. For a few minutes, they sat on the couch not saying anything. When the doorbell rung, Dean tensed up. Castiel put a hand on his shoulder and reassuringly said, "Don't worry."

Naomi opened the door and John stepped inside, holding Sam. Seeing Sammy made Dean relax a bit and smile.

"Lost anything of yours?" Naomi said smiling a bit.

"Oh thank god." John said as he saw Dean sitting on the couch. He thanked Naomi and took Dean into his other arm. When John was done, he put Dean down and let him say good-bye to Castiel. Then they went home.

Afterwards, when Sam was put away to sleep and Dean and John were sitting at the kitchen table, Dean was wouldn't let himself look up at his dad.

"You promised you wouldn't do that ever again." John said.

"I'm sorry." Dean was tired of apologizing. It felt like that was all he did.

John rubbed his hands over his face and in that moment, Dean didn't see his father; he saw a man who was shaped by the grief and loss which had forced him to age quickly.

John cleared his throat and said, "No, you don't have anything to be sorry for."

"Huh?" Dean was surprised; he thought for sure that he would be grounded for the rest of his life. He realized then that sometimes, life could work in beneficial ways; it didn't always have to be bad.

"I," John sighed. "Dean, I'm sorry about what I said. It was no one's fault that she died-"

"But you said-"

"Forget what I said, dammit!" John hit the table and Dean jumped back a bit.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." John kept mumbling. "I just miss her so much." John said and put his head into his hands.

Dean climbed out of his sit and went to stand next to his dad. Dean put his arms around his dad and hugged him as tightly as he could. It was funny how sometimes kids could handle emotions better than adults.

"I've failed as father, haven't I?" John asked when they separated.

Dean shook his head and said, "No, daddy, you could never fail me. And you've been a great dad to Sam."

"Dean, let's be honest. I haven't been a great dad in a while." John sighed and then added, "But that ends today. What do you say, you, me and Sammy go to the park tomorrow?"

Dean's eyes brightened and he said, "Okay, daddy."

Before he went to sleep that night, as Dean thought over the fact that he had broken the promise he made to his mother a few years ago and that was when he realized that promises couldn't always be kept.

The next day, they ate breakfast and then went to the park. They spent the whole day there. Dean noticed that his father was trying to smile a lot more often and actually participate.

From there on, John started paying equal attention both of his sons. He tried to be more attentive, caring, and helpful and Dean was happy about it. He was happy that he finally had his dad back.

* * *

A/N: Please review. The more reviews I get, the faster I will update.

Thank You,

sweetandnasty27


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer 1: I do not own Supernatural and am not making money by writing this story

Disclaimer 2: The title is from the song, Chasing Cars and I am not making money by using it as the title of my fanfic.

Disclaimer 3: The lyrics that are used in this fic are not mine and I am not making money by writing them in to one line.

Chapter four

_Spring 2007_

Time went by quickly in Lawrence, Kansas. Or maybe it just seemed that way to the Winchesters. Before they had a chance to blink, Sam started talking non-stop. He had a persuasive way of talking that got him out of all kinds of trouble. John joked that no one would want to argue with Sam if he ever became a lawyer.

One day, both Castiel and Dean had off from school and decided to have a sleepover. The night before, Castiel had packed up his bag and dropped it off at Dean's house. He couldn't sleep all night; excitement overwhelmed him.

When the bell rang, Castiel rushed off to Dean's homeroom. He met Dean in the hallway and together they walked out of the front door.

Castiel was usually a quiet kid and that didn't really bother Dean. He liked that they weren't similar in that sense; it was nice having friends who were different from you. But today, he seemed quieter than usual and Dean wanted to know why.

"What's up with you today, Cas?" Dean said as they crossed the door.

"What do you mean?" Castiel tilted his head in a familiar fashion.

"You're really quiet." Dean said.

"I'm always quiet." Castiel said when they rounded the corner. A few more steps and they would soon be at Dean's house.

"_Cas_." Dean arched his eyebrow.

"_Dean._" Castiel retorted and snickered.

"I'm serious."

"I thought you were Dean." Castiel smirked.

"Shut up." Dean said and went to ruffle his friend's hair. Castiel swatted at his hand but Dean knew that he wasn't really upset; Castiel's smile was the best indicator.

Dean fetched the keys out of his pockets and proceeded to open the house door.

"Girls first." Dean gestured at the door and grinned at Castiel.

"Shut up." Castiel said but didn't waste time by shoving Dean aside and walking into the house triumphantly.

"Hey!" Dean called after him as he entered the house and locked the door.

Cas laughed in response and said, "Race you to your room." He started to run toward the stairs but Dean caught his arm and said, "Shhh! Sammy's asleep upstairs."

"Oh, I'm so sorry- I didn't know-" Castiel noticed the mischievous glint in Dean's eyes but before he could say anything, Dean pushed his arm away and went flying up the stairs.

"I'm going to get you for this." Castiel said as he ran up the stairs, two steps at a time.

"Yeah, whenever you're ready, _girl_." Dean teased from the top of the stairs.

"You be better prepared, Dean. I have such an evil plan in mind." Castiel said as he walked down the hallway to Dean's room.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Dean called back and entered his room. As Dean sat down on his bed and grabbed the TV remote, someone suddenly attacked him.

Castiel had promised Dean that he would get his revenge so he snuck up behind Dean and started tickling Dean. He knew that tickling was Dean's weakness and had decided to use it against him. He was an evil genius after all.

"Cas…hahahahahaha….Cas stop…hahahaha…Cas, please stop." Dean couldn't stop laughing.

"Say uncle."

"Uncle, Cas, Uncle." Dean breathed.

Cas stopped tickling Dean held out his hand and said, "Truce?"

"Truce." Dean shook his hand. They propped the pillows up against the wall and settled back down while watching T.V.

After watching several episodes of _Drake& Josh, _Dean and Castiel decided to get some food.

"So where is Sam?" Castiel asked as they walked down the stairs.

"Oh, Dad was supposed to pick him up from school and they were gonna go to Uncle Bobby's house."

"Who's Bobby?" Castiel asked curiously as he sat on the stool and swung his legs under the kitchen counter.

"He's my dad's friend. He's not really my Uncle, but he's kind of like a brother to dad. What do you want, peanut butter or nutella?" Dean said as he looked through the cupboard.

"I'll have both." Castiel said and Dean looked back at him, appalled.

"That's gross but whatever." Dean said and placed the two jars on the table. He went to the other side of the kitchen.

Castiel hopped off his stool and followed Dean. "So why didn't you go with them?"

"Well because, we had this sleepover planned and I didn't want to cancel it." Dean said it as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"But didn't you want to see Bobby?"

"Of course I did but I didn't want you to be upset if I had cancelled."

"Thanks, Deanie. You're very nice!" Castiel smiled and went to hug Dean.

"I told you to stop calling me that. And I'm not nice." Dean pretended to be annoyed but hugged Castiel anyway.

"Fine, you're a meanie." Castiel giggled.

They made themselves sandwiches and sat down behind the kitchen counter. They talked about what was new in school. Dean seemed to be very impressed with the new kid, Asher who, in Dean's words, "was a smarter genius than Matilda" and kept going on and on about him and when he was finished, Castiel took the opportunity to complain about his sister, Anna and how she managed to get him in trouble even when he hadn't done anything.

Once they finished eating, they decided to play some board games and got into an argument whether _Monopoly_ or _Connect Four_ was the better game but it was soon resolved when Dean offered to make some pizza-rolls.

* * *

During the third _Harry Potter_ movie that Castiel technically wasn't allowed to watch but Dean had convinced him to watch anyway, John returned with a tired-looking Sam on his arm.

John took Sam to take bath and then changed him into his pajamas, although Sam kept insisting that he could do it himself. After putting on Sam's bathrobe, John picked him up and carried him back to the living room.

Sam practically jumped out of his father's arms and ran to Dean. He jumped on Dean's lap and said, "Guess who I saw today."

"I don't know, who?" Dean asked feigning obliviousness.

"Uncle Bobby and his wife Karen!" His eyes widened and he gave a hearty laugh that made Dean smile in return.

"Did you like it there?" Dean asked although he already knew the answer. Who wouldn't like Uncle Bobby?

"Very much." Sam bobbled his head up and down.

"Sam, we agreed for five minutes. It's time to go to sleep." John said sternly as he walked back in from the kitchen.

Sam grumbled disappointedly but said goodnight to Castiel and Dean and then went upstairs with John.

After putting Sam to sleep, John walked down the stairs and sat in his chair. "Why don't you one of go shower first and you can tell me all about your day later?"

"Sure, Mr. Winchester, I'll go first." Castiel jumped off the couch, grabbed his bag and went upstairs to take a shower.

While Castiel took a shower, Dean told John about their day and what they had done. He especially made sure to mention that Castiel ate nutella and peanut butter together with such deep awe that John couldn't help but laugh.

When Castiel finished showering, he put on his pajamas and went downstairs. He deliberately kept looking at the floor and refused to meet anyone's eyes. When Dean asked him about it, Castiel just shrugged and looked down at the floor.

"Why don't you go take a shower, Dean?" Dean was about to argue but saw the determined look in his father's eyes.

"Fine." Dean sulked and went upstairs.

When Dean was out of earshot, John turned to Castiel and said, "Cas, I've known you for a while. You know that you can tell me anything, right?"

Castiel hesitantly nodded.

"Cas, look at me." John said and Castiel raised his head shyly. John could see traces of a bruise around Castiel's right eye.

"Who gave you that shiner?" John said as he pointed at Castiel's eye.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Castiel crossed his arms and looked the other way.

"Son, I've been around long enough to know evidence of bruises. And I do know that even during play-fighting, Dean can sometimes be a little too-"

"It wasn't Dean!" Castiel shouted and looked back at a bewildered John. When he realized that he had raised his voice, he ashamedly shifted his gaze back to the window.

"Then who was it?" John prodded.

"I can't tell you."

John was about to say something else when he noticed the fearful look in Castiel's eyes. "Alright, I'll stop asking. But if you ever want to talk, I'm here, okay?" John looked at Castiel for confirmation and Castiel nodded.

* * *

Later, when Dean was settled in his bed and Cas in his inflatable bed, Dean turned around and turned on the radio.

"What are you doing, Dean?" Castiel asked. He had had a long day and all he wanted to do was sleep.

"Turning on the radio." The 'duh' was clear in the tone of his voice.

"Why?"

"Because I like to listen to the radio before I go to sleep."

"Why?" Castiel repeated.

"God, you're so nosy. I don't know, my mom used to sing to me before I went to sleep but she's not here anymore so I listen to the radio and it calms me down before sleep."

"That's pretty sad, Dean." Castiel yawned.

"You're such a drama queen, Cas." Dean teased but in his mind he couldn't help but agree.

The phrase, "_We'll do it all. Everything, on our own._" belted through the speakers and Dean was about to turn the knob to the next station when Castiel whispered-yelled, "No, leave it." Castiel looked at him pleadingly.

"You like this song?" Dean asked as he moved his hand back onto his pillow.

"Yes, it's very peaceful."

"How? He just keeps singing about chasing cars. Between me and you, he sounds a bit crazy." Dean giggled.

"That's not what the song is about." Castiel said defensively.

"Then what's it about, hmm?"

"My sister Anna says that it's about being with who you love no matter what."

"Anna's thirteen."

"So, we're eight. And Anna has a boyfriend."

"She does not." Dean couldn't believe it.

"She does so." Castiel retorted and stretched his arms. Dean noticed a bruise on his wrist.

"So what you want a boyfriend too, Cas?" Dean grinned at Castiel.

"Of course not, I'm only eight, Dean."

Dean grunted in response, not sure what to say.

"But if you want, I can be your boyfriend." Castiel said and smiled.

"But we're both boys." Dean was appalled at the proposition.

"So? It doesn't matter to me. Does it matter to you?" Castiel looked expectantly at Dean.

"No." Dean sighed.

"Okay, so what do we have to do? Sign an agreement?" Castiel asked.

"No, I don't think so. Let's just shake hands." Castiel got out of his bed and sat next to Dean. They shook hands and then Castiel leaned in to kiss Dean's cheek. Dean wiped at his cheek and said, "Eww, Cas!" But Castiel just laughed in response.

Dean looked at the clock and noticed that it was almost eleven. "We should go to sleep before my dad realizes that we're still not sleeping."

"Alright." Castiel climbed back into his bed and Dean shut off the nightlight.

Just when Castiel was about to fall asleep, Dean's voice brought him back to reality.

"Cas?" Dean asked suddenly.

"Hmm?" Castiel yawned.

"Where did you get that bruise, Cas?"

"What bruise?"

"Cas, I know about the bruises. I saw them and I heard you talking to my dad."

"It's none of your business." Castiel refused to roll over to look at Dean.

"Cas, I'm your friend. Well, I guess boyfriend now, ha. Anyway, you should tell me stuff."

"What if I don't want to?"

"You have to anyway." Dean persisted.

"Well, I don't and if I wanted to, I couldn't tell you anyway." Castiel said sharply.

"Okay, Cas, I get it. Good-night." Dean decided to end the conversation.

"Night, Dean." Castiel said in return. But before Castiel fell asleep, Dean called his name.

"Yes?" Castiel asked.

"For the record, if you wanted to, I wouldn't mind chasing cars with you."

"I wouldn't either." Castiel said assuredly.

"Night, Cas." Dean said.

"Good-night, Dean." Castiel said and rolled over so that he was facing the wall.

Dean waited until Castiel fell asleep. When he confirmed that Castiel was asleep, he climbed out of his bed and walked on his tiptoes to his dad's bedroom.

John was sitting in bed and had the TV on low volume. When Dean entered the room, John quickly muted the TV and alarmingly said, "What's wrong, Dean? Why aren't you sleeping?"

"Dad, have you seen Cas's bruises?"

John sighed and put his mug down on his nightstand. Dean could see that the photo frame with his mother's picture still stood there. He was surprised that John had managed to save it, what with the fire destroying most of their things.

John noticed Dean's glance and smiled softly. "The firefighters managed to save it, said they had a feeling that it would've meant a lot to me."

Dean was caught off guard about his dad speaking about his mom so calmly. Usually, Mary was a forbidden subject and whenever the conversation was necessary, it was always very hesitant.

"Anyway, back to what you asked, I did see the bruises and I tried to talk him but that friend of yours is just too stubborn for his own good." Dean laughed a bit but then grew silent.

"I think it has something to do with his dad. I've seen bruises on Naomi too." Dean said.

"I suspect the same." John said and sighed yet again.

"Then we should do something about it, dad! Cas's dad is a bad guy."

"What do you suggest we do?"

"Call the police." Dean said urgently.

John laughed cynically and said, "Sometimes I wish it was that simple."

"Why can't it be simple?"

"Dean, Cas's dad, Inias is a very powerful lawyer. Even if we tried, we couldn't possibly beat him."

"I just want to help Cas. He looks sad almost all the time."

"I know you do, Dean, but sometimes you can't always help your friends the way you want to; sometimes you have to find other ways."

"Like how?" Dean asked.

"I think just being there for them is enough sometimes."

Dean nodded and then said goodnight to his dad and went back to his room. On the way to his room, Dean opened Sam's door and snuck his head in.

"Goodnight, Sammy." Dean said and then shut the door quietly. He soon arrived at his room and took great care not to disturb Cas and tiptoed back to his bed.

Before Dean fell asleep, he thought about Castiel's home life and the unfairness of the situation and how he wished that there was something, anything he could do to help Castiel and ease his pain.

* * *

A/N: Please review. Thank You,

sweetandnasty27


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer 1: I do not own Supernatural and am not making money by writing this story

Disclaimer 2: The title is from the song, Chasing Cars and I am not making money by using it as the title of my fanfic.

Chapter five

_June 2009_

The excitement of the summer was evident amongst the busy chatter of the students in the cafeteria. It was a few weeks before the summer break would begin and all the students would all go off on their separate adventures, or most likely, their well-awaited naps.

Dean was quite excited himself but tried not to show it. He sat down at a table nearby the windows and unwrapped his sandwich. As he was unwrapping his sandwich, he heard giggling. He looked up and noticed the swarm of girls who were passing him. Lisa, one of the girls and Dean's classmate smiled shyly at him. He winked at her and she blushed. Then they took off.

Dean chuckled to himself as he took a bite of his sandwich. He knew that he was handsome, plenty of girls and women had told him so. Didn't mean that he wanted a girlfriend, even though most of his classmates were after that and anyway, he was _only_ ten. There was only one person who he Dean really liked- Speak of the devil.

"Hey, Dean." Castiel threw his backpack down and slumped forward in his seat.

"Tough day?" Dean asked when he noticed the frown on Castiel's face.

"I-uh-." Castiel stuttered as he tried to open his own sandwich but got stuck with the zipper on his lunchbox.

"What happened, Cas?" Dean asked.

"Nothing." Castiel scratched at his neck.

"Don't lie to me, Cas. Is Zack bothering you again?"

"NO!" At the pointed look Dean gave him, Castiel looked down at the table and whispered, "Yeah." His voice cracked a bit at that but he tried not to show how upset he really was. _You're a man, Castiel. Be a man._ His father's voice rang through his head.

He didn't even look up until he noticed that Dean had gotten up from their table.

"Dean, what are you doing?" Castiel asked as he noticed that Dean was headed toward Zack's table. He tugged on Dean's arm but Dean pushed him away lightly and said, "Stay here."

Castiel sighed.

Dean arrived at Zack's table. Zack's friends, well more like followers were laughing as Zack stuck some popcorn in his nostrils and blew them out. Dean couldn't fathom what could possibly be funny about that. It was actually pretty disgusting. He cleared his throat.

Zack looked up and his eyes seemed to have a mischievous glint. But upon closer inspection, his eyes seemed to have a mean look, sinister even.

"Yes." Zack said as he smirked.

"You know Cas?"

"Is that what you call him? I just call him twerp or nerd." One of the goons laughed.

"You think that's so funny. Well let me tell you, in ten years, you'll be a college dropout, working on a minimum-paid salary, hoping to pay off the loans for the college that you didn't even finish. No one will care about you, none of these so-called 'friends' of yours. And you know where'll Cas be? He'll be among the stars. He'll be doing great things and if you ever touch him again, I will hurt you."

"Is that so?" Zack said. He was smirking, but the fear was evident in his eyes. _Good, my work here is done. _Dean thought angrily.

Later, Dean told Castiel what had occurred and Castiel shook his head and said, " You didn't have to do that." But the small smile on his face proved otherwise.

* * *

A few days later, Zack had tried to get under Castiel's skin again. Dean punched him in the face and said, "I told you I'd be watching you. Oh and since you didn't understand me the first time, I'm going to tell you something else. My dad's an ex-marine, just in case you ever try that again." He made sure to stress every syllable.

Dean got a detention for the fight and a speech from his father. "Threatening that boy with my veteran status wasn't really smart. You know the crap I had to go through while talking to his parents?" John had asked. And Dean told him that the kid had been picking on Castiel nonstop and that Castiel didn't deserve it, on top of the home abuse Dean knew he was forced to endure. John just sighed and sent Dean to his room.

Dean was supposed to be grounded for a few weeks but John let up after a few days because he knew who was really at fault and that Dean was just doing what he thought best.

Dean didn't regret punching Zack nor did he regret the detention. It was all worth it. Because a few days after the fight, Zack and his goons stayed out of his way and if they even tried to mess with Castiel, they knew that Dean wouldn't let them. And it turned out that Zack and his parents were moving away anyway.

On the last day of school, Dean and Castiel ran out of the school laughing hysterically. Dean grabbed Castiel's hand as they ran and tried not to let it go until they were halfway down the block. It was the happiest they had been in a while.

It was also the happiest memory that both of them held on to after everything that had occurred the following years.

* * *

A/N: Please review.

Thank You,

sweetandnasty27


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer 1: I do not own Supernatural and am not making money by writing this story

Disclaimer 2: The title is from the song, Chasing Cars and I am not making money by using it as the title of my fanfic.

Chapter six

_January 2009_

Most kids were upset when the holiday break ended. It meant that they had to go back to school, wake up at the ungodly hours of the days, and endure the oh-so nauseating work they were forced to do. Castiel, ever so excited to get back to school, stood apart like a bright star among all the other students.

The holidays weren't as bad as they were last year for him. He had managed to stay out of trouble and got to spend time with his sister and mother. Furthermore, his father stayed over-time so many times that Castiel rarely saw him. It was almost easy to pretend that he didn't exist.

But that wasn't the most exciting thing that had occurred over the holiday break. The day before, Castiel had found out that he was going to have a younger sibling and he couldn't wait to share this news with Dean.

While rummaging through his locker, he felt something on his hair. He turned around but didn't see anyone and went back to looking through his closet. Then, he felt the it on the other side of his head and suddenly heard giggling. He turned around and saw Dean.

"That wasn't funny, Dean!" Cas scowled.

"You're right. It wasn't funny-" Dean laughed and added, "-It was hilarious."

Castiel just rolled his eyes while getting his math textbook out of his locker. He leaned against his locker door and said, "You'll never guess what I found out this break."

"What, that you're an alien monkey? I knew that way before you." Dean smirked.

"Shut up, Dean." Castiel punched Dean in the arm lightly.

Dean opened his locker and several things flew out. Dean's locker was always packed with so many things; half of them Dean wasn't even sure what they were. Castiel made a disgusted face. He was pretty sure that his friend had a hoarder problem but he wasn't going to bring it up. Through all the time that Castiel had known him, he noticed that Dean tended to get angry when he was criticized. So of course he wasn't going to mention the problem to Dean at all. No _way_ did he want to make that mistake.

"Shoot." Dean said as he leaned down to grab his stuff. He went to throw out some of the stuff he didn't need and Castiel let out a breath of relief. At least his friend knew that he had some sort of problem.

Dean came back and rummaged through his locker once again. This time he managed to get his English textbook out and slammed the door quickly before anything else would fall out.

"All right, I'm listening. What did the genius manage to find out this holiday break?" Dean asked sarcastically.

"Dean, I'm not a genius. And I'm going to have a little brother!" Castiel could barely contain his excitement. It reminded Dean of the day Sam was born. He realized then that hadn't seen Castiel this excited in a very long time.

"How do you know it's going to be a boy?"

"Well my parents want it to be a boy and they're certain so I think that too." Castiel smiled brightly.

"Right." Dean said uncertainly. "So what's his name going to be?"

"Michael." Castiel said without a doubt.

"Like the angel."

"Mhmm."Castiel nodded.

"Your parents sure do like those angel names. You guys can start a family band called, 'The Angels.' Too bad Anna isn't named after an angel."

"Actually she is."

"No way."

"Yes way." Castiel smirked.

"So what's her full name then?" Deana asked curiously.

"I-uh probably shouldn't tell you." Castiel looked down the hallway to make sure no one was listening.

"C'mmon, Cas, it wont hurt anyone. I promise I won't tease Anna." Dean tried to sound convincing.

"Dean, you're a very bad lair." Castiel sighed. "Oh alright, it's Anael."

Castiel wasn't sure what to expect but he definitely didn't expect Dean laughing so much that he fell on the floor and wouldn't get up for a few minutes.

"Dean, it's not that funny!" Castiel thought that that would calm Dean down but that apparently it had the opposite effect when he saw Dean going off into another batch of giggles.

"Okay, Okay, I'm sorry, I'll stop." Dean wiped at the tears that had formed and got up after a few minutes.

"But I have to tell you Cas, Anna better hope that no one ever finds out her real name. 'Cuz it sounds a bit well... wrong."

"Okaay…" Castiel wasn't sure what his friend was referring to but he didn't bother asking. Even though they were a few days apart, Dean seemed to know a lot more and often acted a lot older than he did. He supposed it was because Dean was the oldest in his family and was close to his dad.

The warning bell rang signifying the beginning of first period.

"I have to go to Math." said Castiel.

"Yeah, I have to go to English, I heard the teacher's tough."

"Who do you have?" Castiel asked.

"Mrs. Roberts."

Castiel winced as if he was in pain and said, "Good luck in that class, friend."

"Why does that sound like you're saying goodbye to me before I go on a battlefield?"

"I'm just saying that I had trouble getting an A in that class and English is _my _favorite subject."

"Cas, every subject is your favorite subject."

"It is not." Castiel said defensively.

"All right, no need to get upset. I was just teasing you." Dean gave a small smile.

Suddenly Castiel wrapped his arms around Dean and said, "Good luck, Dean. I'll see you later."

The hug surprised Dean and it was a few seconds before Dean tore away from the hug quickly and said, "Cas, you have to stop doing that. We're grown boys. It's weird if you keep hugging me in school."

The bell rang at that moment and Dean rushed off to his next class, not noticing the hurt look that flashed across Castiel's face.

* * *

A/N: Please review.

Thank You,

sweetandnasty27

P.S. I am looking for a beta. Please message me if you are interested. Thanks.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer 1: I do not own Supernatural and am not making money by writing this story

Disclaimer 2: The title is from the song, Chasing Cars and I am not making money by using it as the title of my fanfic.

Chapter seven

_March 5__th__, 2009 _

On March 5th, 2009, Castiel woke up at the time he usually did. He got out of bed, brushed his teeth, and put on his clothes. He went downstairs and ate breakfast with his sister, Anna while his mother made some coffee. His father was nowhere to be seen but Castiel didn't care much about his missing presence. He suspected his father was at the office.

Their mother packed their lunch and walked them to the school bus. She waved as the bus drove away, her figure became smaller and smaller as the bus drove farther away. That day started out as most days had and Castiel didn't think that anything out of the ordinary was going to happen. He was, of course, proven wrong.

At the end of school day, Castiel went to their usual meeting spot and stood there waiting for Dean. After a few minutes of waiting, Castiel thought about just walking home by himself but then he spotted Dean.

Dean was not alone though. A kid with long blonde hair and dark eyes was walking next to him. He was a bit taller than Dean. Castiel could see that they were laughing as they walked. He did not know who the kid was. Castiel supposed that it was his fault though. Ever the shy kid who couldn't get the courage up to talk to others, Castiel didn't really get to socialize with kids his age outside of Dean. As they got closer, Castiel felt himself stiffen.

"Hey Cas, this is Ash." Dean's eyes sparkled brightly. Castiel racked through his brain thinking up why the name sounded so familiar.

"Is he okay?" Ash asked. To which Dean said, "Don' t worry, he always does this when he thinks."

Ash just nodded when Castiel abruptly said, "You're Asher." Castiel had finally remembered Dean mentioning him before.

"_Dude." _Castiel tilted his head in confusion.

"Don't ever call me that again." Ash said.

"Alright." Castiel's ears had reddened a bit.

"So you're Cas?" Ash seemed to be sizing Castiel up. Castiel felt a bit uncomfortable at having someone stare so long at him.

"Yes that would be me. But my full name's Castiel. I appreciate it if you wouldn't call me that though."

"Hey, it's cool. I get it, I have a pretty weird name too." Just then a minivan pulled up and a middle-aged woman with different-colored curlers in her hair and a rainbow tshirt on stuck her head out the window, "Asher, get in. It's time to go home."

Ash scrunched up his nose. "I hate when she calls me that. But what can you do? She takes care of me and I should be glad that she does. See ya man." Ash held up his hand and Dean gave him a high five.

As Ash turned to walk to the car, he yelled, "Nice to meet you, Cas." Then he trudged up the sidewalk and got into the car. They drove off before Castiel could respond.

* * *

"So how was your day?" Castiel asked as they walked down the block.

"It was okay. Yours?"

"Fine. How's Mrs. Roberts treating you?" Castiel smirked knowing the answer.

"Ugh, I hate her. She's so mean and she's immune to all my charms. I just can't wait for summer."

"What charms, Dean?" Castiel snickered and Dean pushed him lightly. "Shut up, Cas."

"So that was Asher." Castiel said after a few minutes of silence.

"Yeah but I don't think he'd appreciate you calling him that."

Castiel decided to voice the thing that had been bugging him and said, "How come I haven't seen him around a lot?"

"Oh, kid had some trouble at home. He had to leave and was homeschooled before coming back this year." Dean explained.

"Why? What happened?" Castiel asked curiously.

"I don't know the whole story," Dean paused. "But let's just say that his parents aren't very nice people."

Castiel was confused. That lady seemed a bit off, sure, but she also seemed nice.

Dean seemed to know what Castiel was thinking because he said, "That lady ain't his mother. She's his aunt, Ellen."

"Oh." Castiel said. Though he knew it was mean, he couldn't help feeling a little bit glad that he wasn't the only one with horrible parents, or at least one bad parent. It had felt good to feel that he wasn't alone for a few seconds before Castiel felt ashamed about feeling happy about someone's else miseries.

Once they reached Dean's house, Dean said good-bye and then raced up the stairs to open the door. He waved through the window to Castiel and then disappeared; probably off to his room.

When Castiel stood in front of his house, he rang the doorbell. He was surprised when no one opened it. He knew that his mother was home. He sighed as he dug through his bag, trying to find his key.

"Aha!" He said triumphantly as he found the key and unlocked the door and then closed it.

"Mom, I'm home." Castiel called from the hallway as he hung his coat and took off his shoes. He placed everything neatly inside the closet and stepped out into the living room.

He called for his mom again but she did not respond. He was surprised that she did not respond. She usually made lunch for him at this time before her afternoon nap. It was pretty weird but he just shrugged it off.

He went upstairs to his room and took out his textbook. He was going to start his homework when he heard a noise. It appeared to be coming from his parent's bedroom. Castiel chose to ignore it. However as time went by, it did not stop and he decided to investigate.

He walked down the hallway and then opened his parent's bedroom door. He did not see anything strange but could still hear the noise. He realized that the noise was coming from the bathroom. Arriving in front of the bathroom, he turned the doorknob; not knowing that what was on the other side would change him forever.

* * *

A/N: Please review. Thank you,

sweetandnasty27

P.S. I'm still looking for a beta. Please message me if you are interested. Thanks.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer 1: I do not own Supernatural and am not making money by writing this story

Disclaimer 2: The title is from the song, Chasing Cars and I am not making money by using it as the title of my fanfic.

Chapter eight

_March 5__th__, 2009 (continued) _

Castiel turned the doorknob hesitantly. When he walked into the bathroom, he gasped.

Naomi Milton lay on the floor; crimson liquid oozing out of her arms. A knife lay next to her and two big cuts were drawn on each arm. It took a few seconds for Castiel to register what he was seeing and he quickly walked toward his mother.

"Mother, wake up." He tried to nudge her but she did not answer.

"Mother, wake up. _Please_, mother." He kept shaking her, hoping that he would be able to bring the life back into her.

"Mama, you have to wake up. You _have_ to." His voice cracked at the end and he blinked away the tears that had managed to form._ Now was not the time to cry. He needed to be a man; he needed to save his mother. _

Naomi did not move at all. Castiel moved across the bathroom and turned the phone on.

"Do you miss me already, Cas?" Dean teased from the other side of the phone.

"Deanie, _something's_ wrong." Castiel whispered.

Dean had not heard that nickname in a long time. He realized that something was _very_ wrong. His smile fell instantly. "What? What is it, Cas?

"There's just so much blood." Castiel tried to close his eyes.

"_What_?"

"There's so much blood." He repeated.

"What are you talking about? What happened?"

"My mom, she- " Castiel wasn't even sure what to call it.

"She what, Cas?" Dean asked impatiently.

"I think she's dying, Dean." Castiel said promptly.

"Christ, Cas." There was a pause of silence before Dean continued. "Are you home by yourself?"

"_Yes_." It sounded more like a question. Apparently he was now home by himself. He had made the mistake of thinking he was alone before though.

"Okay, you have to listen to me carefully." Dean waited of reply and when Castiel realized that he was waiting for a response, he answered, "Okay."

"Okay, my dad's home today. He's going to call the police and they're going to arrive at your house. So if someone rings, it's probably them." Dean paused again and then said," And uh, keep talking to your mom. It might help for her to hear your voice. Can you do that?"

"Yeah, Dean." Castiel said assuredly. He didn't think he could do it, though. But he didn't want to tell Dean. He didn't want to look like a failure in front of another person.

"Okay, Cas, I know I shouldn't tell you this, but you have to stay calm. The police will be there soon, okay."

"Okay." Castiel mumbled. He hung up and took his mother's mother. He told her different stories; he recounted the adventures that he had participated in. He told her everything, from his fights with Anna to the Friday lunch specials they served at his school.

Then he told her stories of angels and how they would come down and guard those who were sick or unhappy or even those who needed someone to just be there. He told her how he still believed in them, even after everything he'd been through. He wouldn't stop believing in them, _he wouldn't_.

"Don't worry, mama, angels are protecting you." Castiel said. _Keep calm. _He had to remind himself. He had to be brave and strong for his mother's sake.

The ambulance arrived shortly. The paramedics placed Naomi on a stretcher and Castiel held her hand the whole time. Castiel did not stop talking the whole way to the hospital.

* * *

A/N: Please review. Thank You,

sweetandnasty27

P.S. I'm still looking for a beta. Please message me if you are interested. Thanks.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer 1: I do not own Supernatural and am not making money by writing this story

Disclaimer 2: The title is from the song, Chasing Cars and I am not making money by using it as the title of my fanfic.

Chapter nine

Though Castiel felt like it was the longest drive he had experienced, the ambulance arrived at the hospital within minutes. The paramedics worked quickly, getting Naomi into the emergency room and receiving medical attention immediately. All the while, Castiel stood like a bystander who was frozen in time and unable to move.

He didn't move until one nurse came up to him and lead him to the waiting room. She asked him for an emergency contact number and before he knew it, he was giving her father's number. He knew that his father did not like being torn away from his work but he couldn't think of anyone else to call. Furthermore, although John Winchester had seemed like a good choice to call, he thought it might be suspicious if he gave the number of a stranger (albeit his neighbor), as oppose to the number of his father.

After writing down the number, the nurse smiled sympathetically and said to let her know if he would need anything before she left. Castiel nodded politely and looked around the room. Most people were asleep or seemed to be heading in that direction. Castiel didn't think he was going to be able to fall asleep.

A pile of magazines was stacked on a nearby table. He noticed a coloring book on top of the pile. A few crayons near it and Castiel decided to take it.

He opened the book and began coloring it. He was just about done with the first page when he heard the familiar voice and his blood ran cold. "What the hell are you doing with a coloring book, Castiel? You're not a child anymore!"

Upon hearing his father's voice, Castiel shut the book faster than lighting speed and looked up. Anna stood next to their father, her arms crossed, wearing a sour expression. Then again, she always looked annoyed. Naomi had deemed it, "the rebellious teenage stage." Castiel hoped that becoming a teenager wouldn't cause him to dye his hair black. He often wondered what had so strongly influenced his sister's choice.

Inias went to fill out some paperwork while Anna jumped into the chair next to Castiel's. She pinched his cheek before he had a chance to get away and said, "So how you doing, kid? Finding mom must've been traumatizing for you."

"How are you so calm?"

"Well with half a bottle of this- " She lifted the left side of her jacket to reveal a flask in the inside pocket. "-Calmness is my middle name."

"Your middle name is Jeanine." Castiel pointed out.

"Ugh, don't remind me, it's almost as bad as my first name." Anna scrunched up her nose in disgust.

"Dad's going to see you're drinking and he's going to kill you!"

"He's already killing me." She shifted her gaze away from Castiel and said, "And he's seen far worse shit than this."

"Anna!"

"Let's not pretend that you haven't heard worse." She gave him a pointed look. Castiel wondered how his sister could still be so logical even when she was half-drunk.

At that moment, Inias reappeared at the same time as the doctor came out of the room.

"Mrs. Milton lost a lot of blood and she might not make it."

"Well you have to be able to do something!" Inias glared at the doctor.

Dr. Smith sighed. "We're doing everything we can."

"Well fix her! We're having another child, dammit!" Dr. Smith shifted his gaze downward.

"Guess you're not having that child, _father._" Anna rolled her eyes.

"What?" Inias whispered dumbfounded.

"It appears that Mrs. Milton had a miscarriage prior to her suicidal attempt." Upon seeing Inias's shocked expression, Dr. Smith added, "I'll give you some time. If something happens, we'll tell you."

* * *

They were there for the entire day. During the evening, the doctor came to tell the Miltons the news. The look on the doctor's face told Castiel everything he needed to know.

* * *

A/N: Please review. Thank You,

sweetandnasty27

P.S. Sorry about the late update.


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